BEYONCÉ

I Am … World Tour

[Columbia]

I Am … World Tour gathers two dozen of Beyoncé’s best-loved songs from various stops on a 78-city world tour. All her biggest hits are here: “Crazy in Love,” “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and a sleek version of Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” just for starters. The live setting strips away some of the hyperactive sheen of the studio versions and lets you hear Beyoncé put her ringing voice to work over the accompaniment of a killer live band. As if the live CD weren’t enough, Miss B throws in a DVD with live footage and a 40-minute documentary. It’s doubly impressive to watch her gyrate and strut through songs that require impressive vocal control without ever losing focus. It’s anyone’s guess how she stays safely tucked into her tiny stage outfits through all the exertion, but some secrets are meant to be kept. –Eric R. Danton